Silo bracket for attaching filling chutes



junei15, 1965 HQWILLEN BQRG 0 mo BRACKET FOR ATTACH'ING FILLINGcfiufrnsf Filed Feb. 5, 1962 FIG. 2

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1 liv n 22 J J INVENTOR LAVERNE WILLENBORG ATTORNEY United States Patent3,189,305 SILG BRACKET FOR ATTACHING FILLING CHUTES Laverne H.Willenborg, Dyersville, Iowa Filed Feb. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 171,038 3Claims. (Cl. 248-74) This invention relates to structures for thestorage of materials of various kinds and to equipment employed in thefilling of such structures from a remote location.

The invention relates particularly to farm structures such as silos andto the means for filling such silos including means for attaching thefilling chute to the upper portion of the structure.

Heretofore when filling a silo or other structures with material, it hasbeen necessary to hoist a filling chute to the top of the structure andto rest such chute on the upper edge thereof while the material is beingforced through such chute. The material is generally moved upwardlythrough the filling chute by forced air pressure from a blower or by aconveyor system such as an auger. During the filling process, vibrationoccurs in the filling chute and the frictional engagement causes wear onthe chute which soon rubs a hole therein. Prior attempts to solve thisproblem have proved bulky, cumbersome, expensive to produce and maintainand otherwise have proved unsatisfactory.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bracket for attachment toa structure to be filled with such bracket having means for raising thefilling chute and for securing the chute in position when raised.

Another object is to provide an adjustable removable bracket having apivoted chute receiving strap for securing such chute to the top of thesilo regardless of the angularity of the chute.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, lightweight,economical silo bracket which can be successfully operated by a minimumof-workers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged side elevation of the bracket per 36;

FIG. 3, a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5, an enlarged vertical section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Briefly stated, the invention is a bracket supported by the top of asilo or other structure to be filled and includes an adjustable clamphaving a long leg and a short leg with such legs movable toward and fromeach other in substantially parallel relationship. The long leg isprovided at its top with a pair of angularly disposed outwardlydiverging angle members connected at their outer ends by a chutereceiving strap member pivotally mounted at each side to the anglemembers. A chain is connected to the end of one of the angle members andis adapted to extend around the chute when the chute is in place and beconnected to the other angle member by means of a hook connectedthereto. The angle members are supported by a pair of braces from thelong leg of the clamp and are connected intermediate their ends by anarcuate brace which supports a pulley used for raising the filling chuteinto position.

With continued reference to the drawing, a silo or other structure to befilled is provided having a series of rungs or steps 11 secured to theoutside thereof to permit access to the top of the structure.

After the material which is to be stored in the silo "ice has beenharvested, it is brought to the silo and an elongated pipe or chute 12is placed at the top of the silo and the material is forced through saidchute in any conventional manner as by air pressure from a blower notshown.

In order to secure the filling chute to the top of the silo, a bracketor holder 15 is provided including a twopart clamp having a long leg 16with an outwardly turned upper flange 17 slidably connected to aninwardly turned upper flange 18 of a short leg 19. The long leg 16 andthe short leg 19 are adjustable relative .to each other by means ofbolts and nuts 20 received within openings 21 on opposite sides of theflange 17 and extending downwardly through slots 22 in the flange 18. Itwill be apparent from FIG. 4 that by loosening the nuts the short leg 19can be moved relative to the long leg 16 and thereafter fixed inadjusted position by tightening such nuts.

To the top of the flange 17 is welded or otherwise attached a pair ofoutwardly diverging angle members 24 having an opening 25 at their innerends for receiving bolts 20. The outer ends of the angle members 24 aresupported by braces 26 extending diagonally upwardly from the long leg16 of the clamp.

The outer ends of the angle members 24 are spaced apart a distancegreater than the inner ends and. such outer ends are adapted topivotally support a semicircular belt or strap 27 constructed ofleather, belting or other material. The strap 27 is provided with a pinor bolt 28 on each side located substantially at the point of tangencywith the angle members 24. A spacer 29 is provided between the strap 27and each of the angle members 24 and the outer end of the bolt 28threadedly receives a lock nut 30 to maintain the strap 27 in position.If desired, the strap 27 may be constructed of rigid material and linedwith shock absorbing resilient material.

The strap 27 is adapted to receive the chute 12 and in order to securechute within the device, a chain 32 is mounted on the outer end of oneof the angle members 24 by means of a ring 33 welded or otherwiseattached thereto and the outer end of the opposite angle member isprovided with a hook 34 for engagement by one of the links of the chain32.

In order to hoist the filling chute 12 into position the angle members24 are connected intermediate their ends by an arcuate brace 36 whichpreferably is lower in its center than it is on either end. The centrallower portion of the brace 36 is provided with a ring 37 to which isconnected a pulley 38 having a sheave 39 adapted to receive a rope orcable 40.

In the operation of the device a worker carries the bracket 15 to thetop of the silo 10 by climbing the steps or rungs 11. The bracket isfastened over the top of the silo by positioning the long leg 16 againstthe outside of the silo and moving the short leg 19 toward the long leguntil the short leg engages the inner surface of such silo. When thebracket is in position the rope 40 is passed through the pulley 38 andthe opposite end of such rope is fastened to the chute 12, whereuponworkers on the ground can pull the chute up to the top of the silo. Whenthe chute reaches the top of the silo the worker at the top places suchchute within the strap 27 and passes the chain 32 around the outside ofthe chute and connects such chain to the hook 34 to maintain the chutein position.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

3 What is claimed is: 1. A removable bracket for attaching a fillingchute to the top of a silo comprising (A) an adjustable clamp having (1)a long leg for disposition exteriorly of a silo, (2) a short leg fordisposition within a silo, (3) said short leg being movable relative tosaid long leg, (4) means for securing said legs in adjusted position,(13) a pair of outwardly diverging angle members mounted on said longleg,

(1) braces connecting the outer ends of said angle members and said longleg, (C) a chute receiving strap disposed between the outer ends of saidangle members and being (1) pivotally connected thereto, (2) constructedof shock absorbent material, (D) a chain carried by one of said anglemembers and adapted to extend around a chute,

(1) hook means on the other of said angle members for securing saidchain, (B) an arcuate brace connecting said angle members intermediatethe ends thereof and having (1) a lower central portion, (2) a ringabout said central portion, and (3) a pulley connected to said ringwhereby said bracket can be clamped to the upper edge of said silo andutilized to raise the filling chute into position and thereafter tosecure said chute to a silo.

2. A device for application on the upper end of a silo to support afilling chute in a position that material may be discharge therethroughinto the silo and thereafter said device removed, said devicecomp-rising a bracket having a portion adapted to hook over the upperend of the silo wall and extend downwardly along the interior of thesilo sufiiciently to insure retention in place, said bracket also havinga portion of a length to extend downwardly on the exterior of the silowall sutficiently to provide an extended support for said bracket, apair of spaced filling chute supporting arms fixed to said bracket andextending outwardly therefrom, a relatively soft, hi hly flexible strapextended between and pivotally connected to the outer portions of saidarms for receiving the filling chute and accommodating the angle andconfiguration thereof, and means for disposition around the remote sideof the chute from said highly flexible member for fastening the chute inplace.

3. The structure of claim 2 having means fastened to said bracket forraising and lowering the chute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,5 3 8,449 1/51Freshwater 248229 2,870,984 1/59 Koser 248-229 FOREIGN PATENTS 315,3392/34 Italy.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A REMOVABLE BRACKET FOR ATTACHING A FILLING CHUTE TO THE TOP OF ASILO COMPRISING (A) AN ADJUSTABLE CLAMP HAVING (1) A LONG LEG FORDISPOSITION EXTERIORLY OF A SILO, (2) A SHORT LEG FOR DISPOSITION WITHINA SILO, (3) SAID SHORT LEG BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID LONG LEG, (4)MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LEGS IN ADJUSTED POSITION, (B) A PAIR OFOUTWARDLY DIVERGING ANGLE MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID LONG LEG, (1) BRACESCONNECTING THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID ANGLE MEMBERS AND SAID LONG LEG, (C) ACHUTE RECEIVING STRAP DISPOSED BETWEEN THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID ANGLEMEMBERS AND BEING (1) PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO, (2) CONSTRUCTED OFSHOCK ABSORBENT MATERIAL, (D) A CHAIN CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID ANGLEMEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND AROUND A CHUTE, (1) HOOK MEANS ON THEOTHER OF SAID ANGLE MEMBERS FOR SECURING SAID CHAIN, (E) AN ARCUATEBRACE CONNECTING SAID ANGLE MEMBERS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF ANDHAVING (1) A LOWER CENTRAL PORTION, (2) A RING ABOUT SAID CENTRALPORTION, AND (3) A PULLEY CONNECTED TO SAID RING WHEREBY SAID BRACKETCAN BE CLAMPED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID SILO AND UTILIZED TO RAISE THEFILLING CHUTE INTO POSITION AND THEREAFTER TO SECURE SAID CHUTE TO ASILO.